The above subtests will reflect the following: a composite measure of information content in conversational speech and picture description; a measure of word and sentence repetition; a composite measure of yes/no questions, auditory word recognition, and following sequential commands; and an overall aphasia severity score.

A set of questionnaires to be administered to subjects and immediate family members in order to assess the impact of language impairments on functional communication skills and overall quality of life.

The following subtests from the CLQT will be administered: Symbol Cancellation, Story Retelling, Symbol Trails, Design Memory, Mazes,and Design Generation. These scores will be used to calculate composite scores for the cognitive domains of attention, executive function, and visuospatial skills.

The above subtests will reflect the following: a composite measure of information content in conversational speech and picture description; a measure of word and sentence repetition; a composite measure of yes/no questions, auditory word recognition, and following sequential commands; and an overall aphasia severity score.

A set of questionnaires to be administered to subjects and immediate family members in order to assess the impact of language impairments on functional communication skills and overall quality of life.

The following subtests from the CLQT will be administered: Symbol Cancellation, Story Retelling, Symbol Trails, Design Memory, Mazes,and Design Generation. These scores will be used to calculate composite scores for the cognitive domains of attention, executive function, and visuospatial skills.

Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to Improve Post-Stroke Aphasia

Official Title ICMJE

Can Enhancing Left Lateralization Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Improve Recovery From Post-Stroke Aphasia?

Brief Summary

This study tests whether weak electrical stimulation of the brain is effective in improving language or reading difficulties occurring after a brain injury or stroke.

Detailed Description

This study tests whether aphasia or alexia, language and reading disorders occurring after traumatic brain injury or stroke, can be improved using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a non-invasive technique that applies a small amount of direct electrical current to the brain in order to temporarily alter brain processing. Adults with aphasia/alexia resulting from stroke or traumatic brain injury will undergo baseline behavioral testing of various language and cognitive functions. Subjects who are willing to undergo MRI evaluation will also be scanned. They will then receive five days of either real or sham tDCS with standardized speech-language therapy, under a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled design. Behavioral assessments, and MRIs for those participating in the MRI portion of the study, will be performed again at multiple time points after completing tDCS to assess for changes in these measures.

The tDCS treatments will be applied bilaterally, with the anodal electrode placed on the left temple and the cathodal electrode placed on the right temple. The tDCS will be applied at the beginning of 60-minute speech-language treatment sessions for five days across a one-week period.

Device: Sham Stimulation

The sham tDCS will be applied at the beginning of 60-minute speech-language treatment sessions for five days across a one-week period.